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Repeal Restrictions on Gun Trace Data

    Repeal Restrictions on Gun Trace Data

      What does this solve?

      First enacted by Congress in 2003 as a rider to an appropriations bill, the Tiahrt Rider has restricted public access to data about gun crime and firearm trafficking.

      The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”) maintains data in its Firearms Trace Systems database, pertaining to gun recoveries all over the country. Starting in 2003, Congress enacted limitations on ATF’s ability to use appropriated funds to disclose trace data. The rider has been applied in an overly-expansive manner to bar disclosure of critical data under FOIA to the public. Early versions of the Tiahrt Riders even impeded law enforcement’s ability to access trace data. Blocking this data from disclosure protects corrupt gun dealers and hinders localities from enacting effective, targeted gun crime solutions. Repealing the Tiahrt Rider would help address gun violence nationwide.

      Which states give law enforcement tools designed to address crime guns?

      29 states have adopted this policy

      AL AK AZ AR CA CO CT DE FL GA HI ID IL IN IA KS KY LA ME MD MA MI MN MS MO MT NE NV NH NJ NM NY NC ND OH OK OR PA RI SC SD TN TX UT VT VA WA WV WI WY

      Tools to Address Crime Guns

      Alabama has not adopted this policy

      Tools to Address Crime Guns

      Alaska has not adopted this policy

      Tools to Address Crime Guns

      Arizona has adopted this policy

      Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
      No
      Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
      Yes

      Tools to Address Crime Guns

      Arkansas has not adopted this policy

      Tools to Address Crime Guns

      California has adopted this policy

      Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
      Yes
      Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
      Yes

      Tools to Address Crime Guns

      Colorado has adopted this policy

      Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
      No
      Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
      Yes

      Tools to Address Crime Guns

      Connecticut has adopted this policy

      Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
      Yes
      Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
      Yes

      Tools to Address Crime Guns

      Delaware has adopted this policy

      Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
      Yes
      Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
      Yes

      Tools to Address Crime Guns

      Florida has adopted this policy

      Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
      No
      Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
      Yes

      Tools to Address Crime Guns

      Georgia has adopted this policy

      Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
      No
      Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
      Yes

      Tools to Address Crime Guns

      Hawaii has not adopted this policy

      Tools to Address Crime Guns

      Idaho has not adopted this policy

      Tools to Address Crime Guns

      Illinois has adopted this policy

      Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
      Yes
      Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
      Yes

      Tools to Address Crime Guns

      Indiana has adopted this policy

      Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
      No
      Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
      Yes

      Tools to Address Crime Guns

      Iowa has adopted this policy

      Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
      No
      Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
      Yes

      Tools to Address Crime Guns

      Kansas has not adopted this policy

      Tools to Address Crime Guns

      Kentucky has adopted this policy

      Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
      No
      Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
      Yes

      Tools to Address Crime Guns

      Louisiana has not adopted this policy

      Tools to Address Crime Guns

      Maine has not adopted this policy

      Tools to Address Crime Guns

      Maryland has adopted this policy

      Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
      Yes
      Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
      Yes

      Tools to Address Crime Guns

      Massachusetts has adopted this policy

      Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
      Yes
      Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
      No

      Tools to Address Crime Guns

      Michigan has not adopted this policy

      Tools to Address Crime Guns

      Minnesota has adopted this policy

      Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
      Yes
      Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
      Yes

      Tools to Address Crime Guns

      Mississippi has not adopted this policy

      Tools to Address Crime Guns

      Missouri has not adopted this policy

      Tools to Address Crime Guns

      Montana has not adopted this policy

      Tools to Address Crime Guns

      Nebraska has adopted this policy

      Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
      No
      Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
      Yes

      Tools to Address Crime Guns

      Nevada has adopted this policy

      Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
      No
      Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
      Yes

      Tools to Address Crime Guns

      New Hampshire has not adopted this policy

      Tools to Address Crime Guns

      New Jersey has adopted this policy

      Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
      Yes
      Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
      Yes

      Tools to Address Crime Guns

      New Mexico has adopted this policy

      Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
      No
      Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
      Yes

      Tools to Address Crime Guns

      New York has adopted this policy

      Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
      Yes
      Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
      Yes

      Tools to Address Crime Guns

      North Carolina has adopted this policy

      Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
      Yes
      Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
      No

      Tools to Address Crime Guns

      North Dakota has not adopted this policy

      Tools to Address Crime Guns

      Ohio has adopted this policy

      Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
      No
      Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
      Yes

      Tools to Address Crime Guns

      Oklahoma has not adopted this policy

      Tools to Address Crime Guns

      Oregon has adopted this policy

      Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
      Yes
      Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
      No

      Tools to Address Crime Guns

      Pennsylvania has adopted this policy

      Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
      Yes
      Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
      Yes

      Tools to Address Crime Guns

      Rhode Island has adopted this policy

      Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
      Yes
      Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
      Yes

      Tools to Address Crime Guns

      South Carolina has not adopted this policy

      Tools to Address Crime Guns

      South Dakota has not adopted this policy

      Tools to Address Crime Guns

      Tennessee has not adopted this policy

      Tools to Address Crime Guns

      Texas has adopted this policy

      Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
      No
      Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
      Yes

      Tools to Address Crime Guns

      Utah has adopted this policy

      Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
      No
      Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
      Yes

      Tools to Address Crime Guns

      Vermont has adopted this policy

      Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
      No
      Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
      Yes

      Tools to Address Crime Guns

      Virginia has adopted this policy

      Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
      Yes
      Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
      Yes

      Tools to Address Crime Guns

      Washington has not adopted this policy

      Tools to Address Crime Guns

      West Virginia has not adopted this policy

      Tools to Address Crime Guns

      Wisconsin has adopted this policy

      Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
      No
      Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
      Yes

      Tools to Address Crime Guns

      Wyoming has not adopted this policy

      How it Works

      Repealing the 2012 Tiahrt Rider would aid both the public in understanding where crime guns in their communities come from and policymakers in crafting targeted solutions to gun crime.

      The Supply Side of Violence: How Gun Dealers Fuel Firearm Trafficking Report

      Crime gun tracing is a critical data source—it can help solve gun crimes, and it can also help identify where the guns used in crimes are originating from and wider trends in gun trafficking. But since 2003, annual riders attached to U.S. Department of Justice appropriation bills have prohibited ATF’s use of appropriated funds to disclose most of this important data with the public. This Rider is known as the Tiahrt Rider or the Tiahrt Amendment—named for Representative Todd Tiahrt who first introduced the Rider. At the time of its passage, Rep. Tiahrt was quoted saying, “I wanted to make sure I was fulfilling the needs of my friends who are firearms dealers. NRA officials were helpful in making sure I had my bases covered.” This data-blocking measure serves to protect corrupt dealers and hinder policymakers.

      Congress enacted the current and only operative version of the Tiahrt Rider in 2012. The 2012 Tiahrt Rider exempts from the general funding limitation disclosures to federal, local, and foreign law enforcement or intelligence. It also includes language, explaining that the Rider should not be construed to prevent: (A) disclosing statistical information related to the production of licensed importers or manufacturers; (B) the exchange of information among law enforcement officials; and (C) publishing annual statistical reports on ATF regulated products and statistical aggregate data on firearms trafficking and misuse.

      By the numbers

      Featured Resources

      Repeal Restrictions on Gun Trace Data

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      Did you know?

      There are nearly 78,000 licensed gun dealers in the US, more than the number of McDonald’s, Burger King, Subway, and Wendy’s locations combined.

      Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund, “Inside the Gun Shop: Firearms Dealers and their Impact,” July 6, 2023.